1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus that is capable of selecting one suitable operation mode when there is a plurality of operation modes in which the apparatus can perform data exchange with a card-type medium.
2. Related Art
A known example of various kinds of card-type media that allow an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer to store data and/or conduct data communication is a CF (Compact Flash) (Registered Trademark) card. A CF-card-compatible information processing apparatus is provided with a card slot that accepts a CF card. A CF card becomes accessible by an information processing apparatus when a user inserts the CF card into the card slot of the information processing apparatus.
There are two types of the CF card: a memory card and an I/O card. When an information processing apparatus performs data exchange with a memory-card-type CF card inserted in the card slot thereof, it is necessary for the information processing apparatus to perform data exchange therewith in one of two operation modes, which is a memory mode or a True IDE mode. The information processing apparatus can make a discretionary decision as to whether to choose the memory mode or the True IDE mode for performing data communication with the CF card. According to a known conventional approach, the information processing apparatus inspects (i.e., checks, or confirms) the operation mode(s) with which the inserted CF card is compatible, and the information processing apparatus makes access to the CF card in the True IDE mode if it is compatible with the True IDE mode, and to the CF card in the memory mode if it is not compatible with the True IDE mode. This is because, more often than not, the communication speed will be higher when the information processing apparatus makes access to the CF card in the True IDE mode than in the memory mode. An example of such an approach of related art is disclosed in JP-A-2004-355476.
However, some of CF cards offer a faster communication rate when accessed in the memory mode than in the True IDE mode. In such a type of CF cards, it is possible to shorten data transfer time if the memory mode is selected for performing data exchange therewith instead of the True IDE mode.
In addition, in the True IDE mode, some of CF cards support a READ MULTIPLE command and a WRITE MULTIPLE command that instruct read operation and write operation to be performed in the minimum operation unit constituted by a plurality of sectors, respectively. In such a type of CF cards, it is possible to achieve a shorter data transfer time if the READ MULTIPLE command and the WRITE multiple command are used for performing data exchange therewith.
The maximum number of sectors, which defines a unit of sectors that constitutes a periodic interval at which an interruption occurs, varies from one CF card to another depending on the type of cards that support the READ MULTIPLE command and the WRITE MULTIPLE command. When these commands are supported, generally speaking, the frequency of the occurrences of interruption events decreases as the maximum number of sectors increases. As the frequency of the occurrences of interruptions decreases, time required for data transfer becomes shorter.
For reasons described above, it is possible to further shorten time required for data transfer if the information processing apparatus makes an intelligent decision as to whether to perform data exchange in the memory mode or to perform data exchange in the True IDE mode while taking additional factor(s) into consideration such as the compatibility of the target CF card with the READ MULTIPLE command and the WRITE MULTIPLE command and, if the target CF card supports the READ MULTIPLE command and the WRITE MULTIPLE command, the maximum number of sectors.